Something about me that pretty much everyone I talk to knows, because I always mention it at some point: my favorite movie of all time is Jim Henson’s Labyrinth. Why? Truth is, even I can’t quite pinpoint my reasoning (though it has nothing to do with what is very obviously in David Bowie’s pants, despite what literally everyone says as soon as I mention the movie).
A good part of my adoration may be the Jim Henson factor: as an imaginative kid, I always appreciated the boundless worlds and creatures and concepts his work introduced me to; and as a creative adult, I can still appreciate those aspects of it on top of his willingness to take children’s entertainment seriously—to not pander to the “safe” and “clean” (something so many frightened adults who won’t take the time to teach their children about the world themselves tend to angrily demand). No, Jim ushered many of us into dark and sometimes terrifying places when we were children, and in so doing he taught us how to get through the tough stuff and to accept that, sometimes, the right answers just aren’t always there.
As part of that Jim Henson factor, it could be the storyline itself: a young woman from our world gets swept away to a magical place where she makes new friends, goes on a journey, and faces a powerful antagonist. It’s a Wizard of Oz adventure, but without the Lollipop Guild. And with a music legend as the wicked witch. Which very much tends to be the kind of story I like best: the concept that there are whole other worlds besides our own, ones which we can enter through magic. Narnia is a clear example of this, as far as stories that have long enchanted us and fueled our imaginations go. But an added bonus of Labyrinth is the subtle hints at parallels between both worlds.
Which brings me to my next point for why this movie seriously does something to me: our main protagonist, Sarah. Sarah is a teenage girl who would rather run off to a fantasy world full of goblins and dangerous quests than go shopping and giggle about boys. Go back about—um…*cough*—five or so years, and that was me.
Part of the beauty of Labyrinth is its coming-of-age perspective. We start the movie with Sarah’s longing for a fantasy. Her room is full of items that will later represent a part of her journey through the Labyrinth: a collection of stuffed animals that bear a striking resemblance to characters such as the Fireys and Sir Didymus; an MC Escher print that epitomizes the impossible staircases in the castle; and a music box that reflects the ballroom scene, in which Sarah is dressed in an elegant gown and dances with the Goblin King. There is also the added detail of a newspaper clipping on Sarah’s mirror which shows her mother, a famous stage actress, with her costar.
Now, anyone who has read the novelization of the movie will know that Sarah has a bit of a crush on her mother’s costar, Jeremy. So, it’s fitting that the newspaper clipping in the movie has Jeremy portrayed by the late, great David Bowie, who also plays our main antagonist, Jareth: the Goblin King who steals Sarah’s baby brother and challenges her to fight her way through his labyrinth in order to save him. Throughout the movie, Jareth further proceeds to do anything within his power to hinder her, from taking away some of her thirteen-hour time limit to casting a spell on her that makes her forget the purpose of her quest. But every attempt fails, and Sarah finds her way to the castle beyond the Goblin City, where she faces her greatest challenge in the Labyrinth: Jareth himself.
Apart from the obvious theme of sexual awakening these details imply, Labyrinth also has a strong feminist undertone, which is possibly the most significant reason why I love it. Again, we have a young woman trying to complete a task surrounded by (what would be typically perceived as) male characters, who either help, pretend to help, or hinder her. And while Jareth antagonizes her at every turn throughout the story, he is also an older man who fascinates and enchants her young, innocent, and inexperienced mind. This comes to a head in the ballroom scene, when Sarah allows herself to get swept up in Jareth’s arms for a brief moment before she begins to realize something is terribly wrong. But despite her naivete and fascination, she does not let his charms sway her, eventually defeating him with the words, “You have no power over me;” the very words she was struggling to remember before the start of her journey. By now, Sarah has fought her way through the Labyrinth and faced the Goblin King, and has shown herself and those around her that she, too, has power. And it is a power that equally matches Jareth’s.
In the aftermath of her adventure, Sarah has emotionally and intellectually matured, and upon returning to her bedroom near the end of the film we watch her begin to put some of her childhood things away, further symbolizing her growth. Yet, in typical Jim Henson fashion, the ending also leaves us with the hope that, though we may grow and change, the magic of childhood should never be completely forgotten.
Another reason to love this movie.
In a very long-winded, roundabout way, I’m writing this to answer a question that’s been on my mind recently—that’s probably been on the minds of every Labyrinth fan: am I excited for the sequel that is currently in the works?
No! No, I am not. I’m terrified. In fact, I think I’m full-on dreading it. Mainly because of all the previous reasons I just gave: Labyrinth is my perfect movie. And as much as I would love to see all my favorite stories continue forever, there’s no need. Labyrinth said everything it needed to say the first time around. Any sequel would have to put in A LOT of care and effort to be even just as good, and in this age of money-grubbing sequels and reboots, excessive CGI, and obvious pandering to anyone who will start screaming if they’re not absolutely 100% satisfied, it’s hard to see any studio, even the Jim Henson studio (especially now that Jim’s gone), producing a well thought-out, imaginative and creatively constructed, subtly pieced-together sequel.
Buuuut, maybe I’m being too cynical. I was pleasantly surprised by the Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’s homage to the original puppetry and sets (though their few uses of CGI are painfully obvious). And it is the Jim Henson company, after all (though they really dropped the ball with the last Muppets project). Perhaps the Labyrinth sequel is in good hands…
Perhaps.
That still would not excuse the fact that I had my own perfectly good plot for a sequel all lined up. (Yes, I said Labyrinth doesn’t need a sequel. And it doesn’t. But when you literally dream up a sequel only a few days after David Bowie’s passing, you wonder if stars have aligned.) So, there’s that, as well. Pretty much anything they give me will not be what I imagined, so the movie is losing points even before it’s in production.
It’s not fair!
Will I go see the sequel when the time comes? I… don’t know. Because there is the possibility it could be great. But do I want to risk weakening the illusion of the first one by connecting it to a sub-par sequel? Ugh. I just don’t know!
— C.O.
Fellow Labyrinth fans, what are your thoughts? Are you excited for a sequel, or are you just as nervous about it as I am? Leave a comment below!
